Little Owls Nursery Hawksworth Wood

Hawksworth Wood Children's Centre

Inspection report for early years provision

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Hawksworth Wood Children's Centre

Unique Reference Number EY313604 Inspection date 16 May 2006 Inspector Ann Webb

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Hawksworth Wood Children's Centre

Setting Address Broadway Building, Hawksworth Wood Primary School, Broadway, Kirkstall, Leeds, West Yorkshire, LS5 3PS Telephone number 0113 2590173

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E-mail

Registered person Early Years Service Type of inspection Integrated Type of care Full day care, Sessional care, Out of School care, Crèche

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E-mail

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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ABOUT THIS INSPECTION

The purpose of this inspection is to assure government, parents and the public of the quality of childcare and, if applicable, of nursery education. The inspection was carried out under Part XA Children Act 1989 as introduced by the Care Standards Act 2000 and, where nursery education is provided, under Schedule 26 of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. This report details the main strengths and any areas for improvement identified during the inspection. The judgements included in the report are made in relation to the outcomes for children set out in the Children Act 2004; the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding; and, where nursery education is provided, the Curriculum guidance for the foundation stage. The report includes information on any complaints about the childcare provision which Ofsted has received since the last inspection or registration or 1 April 2004 whichever is the later.

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The key inspection judgements and what they mean

Outstanding: this aspect of the provision is of exceptionally high quality Good: this aspect of the provision is strong Satisfactory: this aspect of the provision is sound Inadequate: this aspect of the provision is not good enough For more information about early years inspections, please see the booklet Are you ready for your inspection? which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

Hawksworth Wood Children's Centre is one of a number of provisions operated by Leeds City Council. It opened in 2005 and is situated in the Hawksworth Wood Primary School on the Hawksworth Wood estate. Children are currently cared for in two play rooms and adjacent outdoor play areas. The provision is open each weekday from 08.00 to 18.00 throughout the year. A maximum of 84 children may attend at any one time and there are currently 60

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WHAT SORT OF SETTING IS IT?

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 children up to the age of 5 years on roll. The provision provides places for children in receipt of nursery education funding and supports a number of children with special educational needs and those with English as an additional language. There are currently 16 staff working with the children, all hold appropriate early years qualifications with the exception of one who is currently working toward a qualification.

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Helping children to be healthy

The provision is good. All staff are fully aware of individual dietary requirements and preferences which are discussed in full with parents. The children receive a good range of healthy and nutritious meals and snacks and a complimentary bowl of fruit is available for parents and children to freely access. Children have access to drinks at all times and sample foods associated with other countries to increase their knowledge of the wider world, for example, home made pizza. Good hygiene practices are in place. Different methods for promoting personal hygiene are used, for example, there is soap and individual towels available in the toilet areas, different coloured cloths are used for cleaning different areas and staff wear gloves and aprons during nappy changing. The staff are good role models, they wash their hands after toileting, nappy changing and before serving food. The children are encouraged to wash their hands after toileting and before and after

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Helping children to be healthy

eating and understand the reasons why. Babies and young children make sense of and respond to what they see, hear, touch, smell and feel. The staff encourage all children to enjoy sensory experiences, such as sand, water play, dough, paint, shaving foam and natural materials. Babies emotional needs are met well as they receive plenty of individual attention and cuddles. They are made to feel special by key staff and parents exchanging information at the beginning and end of the day. Practitioners recognise that children need a predictable environment where they feel safe, to encourage their independence. Staff are aware that changes of staff or moving to another room may temporarily affect children's confidence. Staff are effectively deployed so that a significant member of staff is available to care for the babies and young children at all times. An effective system is in place to ensure consistency of care and a smooth

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Helping children to be healthy

transition when children move within the nursery and school. The staff use mealtimes as an opportunity to help children enjoy their food and become independent in feeding themselves. As a result, young children have many opportunities to feed themselves using fingers, forks and spoons. The staff effectively recognise the signs of tiredness in babies and young children and follow their individual routines for rest and sleep. Satisfactory arrangements are in place for administering first aid and there is a fully

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Helping children to be healthy

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 stocked first aid kit available. Most of the staff hold a current first aid certificate, with training ongoing. Written policies are in place regarding sickness, accidents and the administration of medication. These are mostly implemented and shared with all parents. The children have daily opportunities for fresh air and outdoor play, such as visiting the shop, farm and accessing the outdoor play area. Children effectively show awareness of space, themselves and others and are beginning to recognise the importance of keeping healthy. They handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely and with increasing control, such as scissors, pencils and dough tools. All children move freely with pleasure and confidence. They can manage their bodies to create intended movement, for example, pouring drinks,

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

The provision is satisfactory. The children are cared for in a clean, well maintained environment which is effectively organised to enable them to move around freely and safely. The environment is warm and welcoming for parents and children who are greeted on arrival. Children's work and photographs are attractively displayed on the walls and show them involved in a suitable range of activities. Children benefit from an appropriate range of safety measures, for example, through the use of socket covers and a secure outdoor play area. However, some equipment is not sufficiently maintained and appropriate for the children's use, for example, the ear phones connected to the tape recorder are broken and wires are tangled. The children are supervised at all times, are unable to leave the premises unaccompanied and are never left alone with persons who have not been vetted. The system for managing access to the premises is good and unauthorised persons

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Protecting children from harm or neglect and helping them stay safe

are unable to gain entry and a record is kept of visitors. Child protection procedures are robust, fully understood by all staff and are fully implemented. Most toys and resources are in good condition and stored safely. Toys and equipment are age appropriate and suitable for the children's stages of development, for example, child sized tables and chairs and utensils for eating.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

The provision is satisfactory. Staff working with the younger children have attended Birth to three matters training. They appropriately implement the framework and planning and assessment systems are effective for this age group. Young children enjoy attention and being physically close to other children and familiar adults, for example, during meal and snack times. Adults echo sounds young babies make and interpret meaning to children’s words which encourages them to be confident and competent language users. Children are

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 given opportunities to share their thoughts, feelings and ideas. They talk with other children, visitors and other adults and speak confidently about what they see, hear, think and feel. The staff are kind and attentive towards the children, they respect their backgrounds and value their contributions. The staff recognise the children as individuals and meet their differing needs well. Activities are well organised and the children are involved in a balanced range of activities both inside and outside, which supports and promotes their all-round development, for example, sand, and water. However, the book area for children under 3-year-olds is uninviting and does not inspire the children to relax and look at books for pleasure. Children relate and play very well with their peers and are happy and settled. The

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

staff balance their time carefully to allow children to play and learn independently as well as giving time for support and encouragement. The staff are interested in the children and value what they say and do. They consistently talk and listen to them, ask them questions to make them think, respond enthusiastically and give meaningful praise and encouragement. Nursery Education The quality of teaching and learning is satisfactory. Staff have attended training on the Foundation Stage and competently put this into practice. They show a good knowledge of the Foundation Stage and provide a wide range of activities and experiences to cover most areas of children's learning. Planning is flexible, clear and covers most areas of learning in the curriculum. Detailed planning for focused activities ensures clear learning intentions are identified for children. Assessment records for each child clearly show the children's approach to learning, their

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

achievements, progress and show planning for children's individual next steps in learning. All children separate from their main carer with confidence and they seek out adults to share experiences. Some children talk freely about their home and community. The children are well behaved, they use manners, share and are cooperative at tidy up time. They can maintain attention, concentrate and sit quietly when appropriate. The children enjoy books, they are able to listen carefully and respond enthusiastically to stories and songs. However, they are unable to make their own choices of books to read independently as the books available are all based on the current theme. Some children can recognise their own name and confidently use one handed tools and equipment, such as scissors, paint brushes and pencils. Some children are beginning to form recognisable letters. Children show curiosity, observe and manipulate objects. They realise tools can be

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

used for a purpose and construct with a purpose in mind, using a variety of resources. The children show an interest in the world in which they live. They remember and talk about significant events that have happened to them, for example, going to the farm. They are beginning to know about their own cultures and beliefs and those of other people, such as celebrating Chinese New Year. There is limited equipment available for information technology and for large physical play.

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The children are developing good counting skills and enjoy participating in counting songs and rhymes. Some 3-year-olds can count to 10 and many can recognise numbers from 1 to 5. Some older more able children can count to 20. The children understand and use positional language, such as in and out. They understand size through well planned activities, for example, sticking and water play. Children use their imagination well. They respond in a variety of ways to what they feel, see, hear, touch and smell. The children are able to differentiate colours and enjoy focused painting activities, however, opportunities for free painting are restricted, limiting children's creativity. All children enjoy using props to support their role play, such as using hats to dress up. Overall, children make satisfactory

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Helping children achieve well and enjoy what they do

progress towards the early learning goals given their capability and starting points.

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Helping children make a positive contribution

The provision is good. Staff give high priority to nurturing children's personal, social and emotional development. They create a secure atmosphere where children develop good attitudes and dispositions to learning. Children show excitement and are motivated to learn. The staff have a consistent approach to managing children’s behaviour, which is reflected in the setting's behaviour policy. The staff are skilled in encouraging good behaviour and helping children understand what is expected of them. As a result, all the children are well behaved, use manners, share, take turns and cooperate at tidy up time. There are comprehensive systems in place to support children with special educational needs and children who speak English as an additional language. The children develop a positive attitude to others and develop a good understanding about the wider world and the local community through celebrating festivals and

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Helping children make a positive contribution

having access to a good range of resources which show positive images of culture, ethnicity, disability and gender. Partnership with parents and carers is good. Parents receive clear and detailed information about the educational provision through regular newsletters, the notice board and information leaflets. They have good opportunities to share what they know about their child through regular discussions with staff and an effective settling in procedure. They are well informed about their child's achievements and progress. The parents are effectively encouraged to be involved with their children's learning, they assist with self registration, question of the week, the lending library and are able to view their child's profile. Children’s spiritual, moral, social and cultural development is fostered appropriately through the celebration of their own and others traditions and cultures, sharing and taking turns and learning right from wrong.

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Organisation

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 The environment is organised appropriately. The staff work well as a team and know their roles and responsibilities. They effectively implement routines to give children a broad range of experiences. Children benefit from well deployed staff. They consistently interact with them and offer effective support and encouragement, which helps children feel secure and confident. All the required documentation is in place, is easily accessible and stored securely, such as emergency contact and registration details. However, the medication record, complaints and anti-bullying policy do not contain sufficient detail and information. Also information is not always recorded in an indelible format. A good system is in place to record the staff and children’s daily attendance and this is accurate and up to date.

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Organisation

The leadership and management of the nursery education is satisfactory. The staff team are committed to improving care and education and have regular opportunities for staff development, such as attending training. The staff regularly work with relevant professionals and members of the local community. All the staff are fully involved in planning the curriculum and assessments records are frequently updated by the child's key worker. Overall the provision meets the needs of the range of the children for whom it provides.

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Complaints since the last inspection

There have been no complaints made to Ofsted since registration. The provider is required to keep a record of complaints made by parents which they can see on request. The complaints record may contain complaints other than those made to Ofsted.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

On the basis of the evidence collected on this inspection:

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the care are satisfactory. The registered person meets the National Standards for under 8s day care and childminding.

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THE QUALITY AND STANDARDS OF THE CARE AND NURSERY EDUCATION

The quality and standards of the nursery education are satisfactory.

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The quality and standards of the care

To improve the quality and standards of care further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s):

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The quality and standards of the care

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000 • ensure that equipment used by children is well maintained, with regard to audio equipment • improve the book area for children under 3 years • ensure that medication records contain all the required details • update the anti-bullying and the complaints procedure to ensure they contain sufficient information • ensure records are completed in an indelible format.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

To improve the quality and standards of nursery education further the registered person should take account of the following recommendation(s): • provide children with opportunities to develop large physical skills and to access equipment for information technology • ensure that children are able to make independent choices with regard to painting and the selection of books.

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

procedures set out in the leaflet Building better childcare: Compliments and concerns about inspectors' judgements which is available from Ofsted's website: www.ofsted.gov.uk

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The quality and standards of the nursery education

This inspection was carried out under the provisions of Part XA of the Children Act 1989, as inserted by the Care Standards Act 2000

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